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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. present — there
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. press — a publisher
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. track — a path
  13. fall — to drop
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. present — a gift
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bark — to shout
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. present — the time now
  21. pass — a permit
  22. track — a song
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com